Factors undermining tourism establishments from preparing for flooding
Historical narratives
A major constraint that undermines some tourism establishments’ flood preparedness in Lagos is downplaying the severity of floods concerning tourism development (see, for example, Asiyanbi, 2015; Ojomo et al., 2015; Adelekan
& Asiyanbi, 2016). The underestimation of flooding is partly underpinned by historical narratives, especially from those who have not been impacted severely. Historical narratives play a pivotal role in the way climatic risks are construed. For example, “the availability heuristic states that events are judged to be more probable if imagining or recalling similar instances from memory is easier” (Eiser et al., 2012: 8). Thus, some tourism operators and managers whose establishments in Lagos have, thus far, not been affected adversely by floods may assume that they are in a “buffer zone” where future flooding impacts will not be severe. Consequently, the need to implement readiness measures to minimise future flooding events is not taken seriously.
In view of the above, climate education is necessary for operators and managers of SMTEs to trigger behavioural changes aimed at implementing proactive measures to reduce the negative impacts of floods (Anderson, 2012; Monroe et al., 2017). That will enlighten those less knowledgeable about the science of future flooding projections and those downplaying the potential risks of flooding to their establishments. Climate education can equip tourism operators and managers with the prerequisite skills to facilitate flooding preparedness to mitigate the adverse effects of floods. Since “climate change education interventions are most successful when they focus on local, tangible and actionable aspects, especially those that can be addressed by individual behaviour” (Anderson, 2012: 197), the need to prioritise the replacement and retrofitting of old materials with flood-resistant building materials is essential. As the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) (2013) notes, a dollar spent on disaster preparedness saves four dollars spent on response and recovery measures.
Lack of human and financial capital
Following the identification of tourism as a key priority area for development in Nigeria by the Obasanjo administration, a presidential committee was set up with a mandate to development a master plan to make Nigeria become a preferred choice for international tourists. Among key issues raised that needed to be tackled decisively was the level of human capital development that lags far behind in the delivery of quality services to clienteles (Metilelu, 2016). This also inhibits SMTEs in Lagos from embarking on flood preparation. Similar sentiments have been shared concerning South Africa (Faling, Tempelhoff & Van Niekerk, 2012) and the coastal regions of developing countries where most tourism attractions are often located (Agrawala et al., 2004; Oladipo, 2010). Nonetheless, it is argued that limited financial capital also prevents SMTEs from preparing adequately for floods (Bankole, 2002; Oladipo, 2010).
Arguably, the profitability mindset coupled with the likelihood of going extinct usually deters long-term planning, which is often expensive (Idahosa & Ebhuoma, 2020). The question now, as Hoogendoom and Fitchett (2016) put forward, is how best these SMTEs can adapt to remain sustainable and operational with minimal capital investments. Perhaps the NTDC should adopt incentives such as tax reductions or holidays for SMTEs that implement preparedness measures against floods. Also, regulatory measures from the NTDC could be enforced on insurance companies, mandating them to charge higher premiums from SMTEs that have no preparedness measures in place. While such proposed measures may seem stringent, it is necessary if the projected 4.3% (NGN3.61bn or approximately US$10m annually) that tourism will contribute to Nigeria’s GDP by 2028 wants to be achieved (Nwanne 2018).
